Compare towns
Pittsfield vs Lancaster vs Westfield
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Massachusetts.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Pittsfield has the shortest commute (19 min average).
Lancaster has grown the fastest since 2010 (+4.8%).
Westfield has the youngest population (median age 39.9).
What matters to you?
Pick a few. We’ll pull those rows to the top and mark which town comes out ahead on each. There’s no overall score: what matters is up to you.
| Measure | Pittsfield | Lancaster | Westfield |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 43,457Highest |
8,606Lowest |
40,378 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -1.8%Lowest MA: +7.4% |
+4.8%Highest MA: +7.4% |
-0.6% MA: +7.4% |
| Median age | 42.4±2 6% above MA |
43.1±4.9Highest 8% above MA |
39.9±1.8Lowest about the MA average |
| Lancaster and Pittsfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 17.6%±1.4Lowest MA: 19.4% |
19.2%±4Highest MA: 19.4% |
18.1%±2 MA: 19.4% |
| Lancaster and Westfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 19.4%±1.5 MA: 17.9% |
19.9%±4.2Highest MA: 17.9% |
18.7%±1.5Lowest MA: 17.9% |
| Lancaster and Pittsfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 34.2% MA: 47.3% |
50.3%Highest MA: 47.3% |
33.2%Lowest MA: 47.3% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 6.2%±1.1 MA: 7.9% |
3%±1.8Lowest MA: 7.9% |
10%±0.9Highest MA: 7.9% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $70,582±$5kLowest 32% below MA |
$134,833±$27kHighest 30% above MA |
$87,753±$6k 16% below MA |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $256,900±$8kLowest 54% below MA |
$519,100±$60kHighest 8% below MA |
$325,100±$11k 42% below MA |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,134±$61 36% below MA |
$2,338±$539Highest 33% above MA |
$1,117±$60Lowest 37% below MA |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $4,148Lowest 31% below MA |
$7,235Highest 21% above MA |
$4,746 21% below MA |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 52.8%±5.7 MA: 51.8% |
68.3%±36.7Highest MA: 51.8% |
46.5%±5.8Lowest MA: 51.8% |
| Lancaster and Pittsfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 14.9%Highest MA: 10% |
1.4%Lowest MA: 10% |
10.7% MA: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 62.8%Lowest MA: 62.5% |
85.1%Highest MA: 62.5% |
68.6% MA: 62.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1950Lowest 14 yrs older than MA |
1971Highest 7 yrs newer than MA |
1964 same as MA |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 19 minLowest 36% below MA |
32 minHighest 9% above MA |
27 min 9% below MA |
| Work from home | 10.2%±2.2 MA: 18.6% |
33.6%±9.1Highest MA: 18.6% |
8.6%±2.2Lowest MA: 18.6% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #251 of 282 in MA | #145 of 282 in MA | #197 of 282 in MA |
| School district | Pittsfield | Nashoba | Westfield |
| High school in town | Taconic High | None in town | Westfield High |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 9.3Lowest |
— | 11.9Highest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in Our Story | None yet | None yet | None yet |
MA average · Sources: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates 2020–2024; 2010 & 2020 decennial census; NCES Common Core of Data. “±” is the Census margin of error. Property tax is top-coded by the Census at $10,000+. School rank compares math and reading proficiency against the state average.